tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83135369408937631712012-01-27T12:21:22.503-07:00Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.comBlogger1321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-76085095695618407882012-01-14T12:32:00.000-07:002012-01-14T12:32:07.750-07:00

Happy New Year to all, and a prosperous and cancer-free 2012 is our collective goal!  I have quite a bit of information from Sebastian (El Caligrafo) in Buenos Aries, Argentina.  Look forward to a post about his bladder cancer adventures next month.  Why next month?  Because in North America, every single person (it seems) is focused only on one objective every January - losing weight recently

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-28808305312917089132011-12-18T12:14:00.000-07:002011-12-18T12:15:55.034-07:00

It's been over six weeks since my last post, and no news (from me) is good news.  It means that life is adjusted to the new "normal," and that Bladder Cancer is not a daily concern. It is good to be more concerned with work, holidays, family and friends than with health.  That said, the new normal includes the looming presence of cancer recurrence and awareness about possible exposures to

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-45506999280804175652011-11-05T10:58:00.000-06:002011-11-05T11:02:03.607-06:00

I promised this post over five weeks ago, so I am tardy.  It does point out the first lesson learned: 1) After you get the routine down and have both experienced and dealt with the maximum side effects (which does vary greatly from person to person), it is possible to completely forget that you just had a BCG maintenance series after about a week. I could almost forget that I have bladder

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-11850747248674715342011-10-02T14:19:00.000-06:002011-10-02T14:20:04.528-06:00

Just over three weeks ago I posted the successful results of my Judgment Day cystoscopy and praised the merits of modern technology - a High Definition monitor and a more flexible, smaller diameter probe.  In the three short conversations with Dr. Hopkins since then, I learned more about it.  While it certainly is High Def and more flexible, the doc claims it is exactly the same size (14 gauge

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-90751591766772202132011-09-08T16:02:00.000-06:002011-09-09T08:26:56.732-06:00

First the great and awesome news: Judgment Day #9 came and went with an ALL CLEAR now marking 39 months cancer free!  God is indeed good, all the time!  Of course, trials are not out of the picture, so try to enjoy the following VERY LONG blog posting about the good, the bad, and the ugly of today's Judgment Day! Trying to get work done the day before a Judgment Day and trying to relax in

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-61196347318582935762011-08-31T18:12:00.002-06:002011-08-31T18:20:05.674-06:00

Deborah Thomas from M.D. Anderson Medical Center in Texas sent me the following podcast about Bladder Cancer. It is just under 14 minutes long and is a good overview of the facts and statistics surrounding bladder cancer, diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment. I think you will find it well worth your time!

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-52318194405274700542011-07-16T08:45:00.010-06:002011-08-01T19:19:49.045-06:00

Wow! It's been 6 weeks since my last blog post. Slow activity on the blog is good news. Bladder Cancer is not impacting "normal life" nearly as much as before. Summer is finally here in the West. Although the southwest US has been sweltering, the West has been cool and rainy - very unusual. For the past few weeks it has been a mix of work and play for me. Work, of course, is work - hardly

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-35313662269542380362011-06-04T10:58:00.009-06:002011-06-06T07:13:16.219-06:00

Many of our regular "frat members" provide me updates from time to time that their cysto or CT scan was clear, and BCG is done, etc. But our latest frat member, Ben F from Louisiana, things have been interesting to say the least! Like many of you readers he did as much research as he could tolerate after he was first diagnosed, and even found my humble little blog here. He sent me a couple of

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-48180194488756567662011-04-30T09:32:00.003-06:002011-04-30T10:46:01.662-06:00

Next Saturday, May 7, 2011, will be Bladder Cancer Awareness Day in the United States. One primary activity, sponsored by the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN), will be a "Walk for Bladder Cancer - Leading the way to a cure." The purposes of the day and the walk are simple and clear - to raise "awareness" about bladder cancer in the community and to raise money for BCAN. The purpose of

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-73427414574837575742011-04-09T09:00:00.016-06:002011-04-10T05:58:39.198-06:00

I am a bit surprised at how long it's been since my last update. As I tell most folks, "No news is good news." It is a bit of an adjustment that must be made. During the first 30 months having bladder cancer, learning about it, and dealing with it was pretty much a daily occupation. Now having just passed 33 months cancer free with no BCG to occupy the month after diagnosis, I have until

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-77613735064688551802011-03-03T16:56:00.006-07:002011-03-04T11:16:36.132-07:00

JUDGMENT DAY arrived with a bang - literally! The bright early morning became suddenly dark at 7:30AM when a very severe storm cell hovered over our house and we were circled about with lightning and thunder for about 15 minutes - most unusual for this time of year. The streets (clean the night before) were covered with snow and ice, but warmer temperatures cleared it up before we headed down the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-82392087745358977992011-01-29T09:36:00.009-07:002011-01-31T07:54:02.988-07:00

We have a couple new additions to our Bladder Cancer "fraternity." Just over a week ago my parents called to let me know that my first cousin had undergone a TURBT surgery for bladder cancer the previous day. We were all concerned to hear the unwelcome news, and relieved to hear, preliminarily, that all had gone well. Of course my blog and contact information were provided by his mother, and he

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-73546308717040144502010-12-27T09:17:00.010-07:002011-01-01T09:51:02.329-07:00

Some of you may have noticed the post count has slowed down quite a bit. As I tell family and friends in my "Medical Update" emails - NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS!! The purpose of this blog is to fill a gap in coverage on bladder cancer. There are dozens of good sites chocked full of dispassionate, clinical information on the types of bladder cancer and the recommended and optional treatments for

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-66098546256573052482010-11-18T07:48:00.005-07:002010-11-18T08:02:54.899-07:00

I got a question via Wellsphere from Mike in South Carolina regarding curcumin consumption: "I have started taking Curcumin 95% total curcuminolds (rhizome-curcuma longa) (18:1) derived from turmeric . I was wondering if you know anything about whether it is beneficial in the fight against bladder cancer?"Taken from "Foods to Fight Cancer" by Belivau and Gingras, curcumin as consumed in foods

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-89526145058643357012010-11-12T12:17:00.006-07:002010-11-13T06:56:47.470-07:00

It's been a bit over a month since my last post and over six months since I last updated all of you on the progress of our little bladder cancer "fraternity." The news is mostly good. In my case, no activity until March, and then only CT scan and flexible cystoscopy. If all clear, nothing for six more months - meaning NO BCG. That means my news is all good news indeed.David F. in England is

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-46481684436814617422010-10-02T15:27:00.008-06:002010-10-02T16:10:01.336-06:00

Good news all around - I did verify with my doctor that the next BCG interval has moved out to ONE YEAR. So we still have a CT scan and cystocopy in March, 2011, but no more BCG until after a second cystoscopy next September. This is wonderful news indeed! And even with my error in judgment on the first treatment of this series, the data for reaction to the BCG this time are well within the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-32626162144266473522010-09-25T13:43:00.005-06:002010-09-25T14:11:17.609-06:00

While this second treatment was a bit rougher than the second one three months ago, it was over and done faster than last week's. I pursued my own recommended regimen of relaxation, deep breathing, and careful mega-hydration. And I am a bit pleased to report that it worked quite well. Symptoms started earlier and were slightly more severe than last week, which was to be expected. But by 9:

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-26846713372511178572010-09-19T08:27:00.005-06:002010-10-02T07:49:14.645-06:00

Well if life is a pre-existing condition, then it probably follows logically that foolishness or stupidity is a pre-requisite. As you saw from the last post, Biohazard Man is back. And now belatedly I report on my first BCG treatment of Maintenance Series 5. I have had plenty of experience and over five months off, so I knew exactly what to do and what to expect. Or so one would believe.

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-23519317549352420212010-09-19T08:25:00.011-06:002010-09-23T08:19:05.822-06:00

Biohazard Man is back and he is bigger and better than ever! Check out this new Biohazard Man Version 2 graphic - leaner, more mature, and more graceful by far. This new image is mildly more accurate. There is even a Blackberry in his hand! You can read all about Biohazard Man's superpowers and see the Version 1 graphic in the original Biohazard Man post.Early on in the scheme of things, after

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-40192160530674666072010-09-11T08:48:00.009-06:002010-09-11T12:44:03.169-06:00

Two days later and I have pretty much recovered physically. Mentally? Jury is still out. Each successive Judgment Day does get easier to prepare for and to go through. Still the stress level is quite high, and there is a definite CRASH afterward. A couple of years ago I responded to the good news with joy and then a nasty head cold for a week. Despite the outward appearance, the body will

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-41951364842356829782010-09-09T22:07:00.005-06:002010-09-11T12:57:29.744-06:00

In my mind this was a bigger milestone. Unfortunately my mind is a little bit mushy, post-climactic stress syndrome or something. Details on the Judgment Day, the cystoscopy, the significance, the outfall, the prognosis, and the next steps are forthcoming.Stay tuned to this space!

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-91316243030195569622010-08-11T17:55:00.011-06:002010-09-23T08:16:15.261-06:00

This is all bad news, so I shall keep it short and not sweet at all. I have previously reported that sugar, especially sucrose (table sugar) and glucose (regular corn syrup) should be strictly avoided by cancer warriors. I further suggested that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) should also be avoided, as it is chemically about the same as table sugar (sucrose is 50/50 glucose and fructose while

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-48878570813038883222010-08-06T08:47:00.006-06:002010-08-27T08:41:20.712-06:00

I apologize first of all for the belated post, having missed July 17 by about 3 weeks, and second of all for stealing most of the content from my fellow-survivor David Ferdinando, who lives near London in the U.K. Even though we are both aware of bladder cancer EVERY day, David is more aware of what is going on in the USA on an advocacy level than I have been. So I will catch up a bit here, and

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-5265302079117077522010-07-05T09:07:00.009-06:002010-08-27T08:40:59.644-06:00

If you have read anything I have ever written about exercise, you will know that I never present it in a positive light. I am not opposed to DOING something like playing a sport. But just to exercise - on a machine, with weights, bicycle, or running is both physical and mental anguish for me. Furthermore, I never experience any of the purported benefits from this misery and drudgery. Those

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-62526587524478812562010-05-29T08:17:00.011-06:002010-05-29T13:49:43.139-06:00

If you visit this blog a few times, you can see that the day to day updates appear at the top of the column to the left, while research, medical details, and "deep thoughts" are presented as blog posts. The latter were quite frequent early on when medical interference was also commonplace. Having "graduated" now to the post-two-year cancer free status, my urologist decided to back off a bit.

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-86940625749989147612010-04-24T08:15:00.011-06:002010-04-25T13:29:02.294-06:00

Bladder cancer continues to emerge to be discovered in new people every day. Judging from the people who hits this blog and the links they investigate, I surmise that most of you seem to be finding potentially helpful things out in cyberspace from my links, discourses, rants and so forth. On occasion I get some feedback indicating that this is the case:Dale G. comment: I just wanted to say thank

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-36066270945803402752010-04-10T10:58:00.011-06:002010-04-10T15:22:15.159-06:00

Wow, a blink of the eye and it's been over two weeks since my final BCG from the 4th maintenance series. I suppose it's good that life has gone on and I am 95% recovered from the experience. As I have said (and the reality of which has not fully sunk in), I have no more reason to let any doctor handle my private parts again until September. Five full months of... what? I have not had this much

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-30686984765067506782010-03-19T09:53:00.015-06:002010-03-20T08:46:31.495-06:00

Two BCGs down and one to go! I am really pleased to be telling you that yesterday's treatment, while harder than the week before, was still easy-peasy. No dramatic symptoms during the special handling period, and not too bad after. The morning of the day after brought mild hangover symptoms again - an almost headache plus exhaustion and mild dehydration, but this week is perhaps slightly

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-7957972548634364342010-03-12T08:33:00.006-07:002010-03-12T09:37:33.034-07:00

Biohazard Man is back, and his amazing superpowers are as inconsistent as ever! I think my system was in better condition for this BCG than it ever has been in the past. And while I was prepared for some mild side-effects, I was not prepared for essentially nothing. That's right - pretty much nothing in the way of side effects! But don't worry, there is definitely BCG in the system, and I do

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-36565751425717431592010-03-04T14:17:00.008-07:002010-03-04T15:52:57.600-07:00

"It figures," were my thoughts yesterday as I noted the forecast for Thursday, March 4 was cold and rain continuing throughout the weekend. Mid 40s (7 C) with chill-inducing humidity plus some heavy winds. Dreary and unpleasant weather to be sure, and appropriate for a Judgment Day - my sixth since having the bladder cancer removed via surgery (a second time). While I have not consciously

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-80552884768799481492010-02-22T19:10:00.003-07:002010-03-04T15:53:55.987-07:00

I wonder, even with all the things I am doing to boost my immune system, if my general resistance to diseases is low. When colds and flu buzz around the workplace, I never used to catch them. Even with my out of shape, overweight, poor-diet lifestyle, my resistance to common diseases was high. Now it is different. I have had 3 colds in the past 18 months, versus an average of 1 per 3-4

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-51703580525973375112010-01-23T08:24:00.004-07:002010-03-04T15:54:41.273-07:00

One thing that is very difficult in cancer situations is dealing with the people around you who DON'T have cancer. These folks want first and foremost to know that you are OK, and that you are not about to die. Beyond that, few will want details. Almost all will say, "If there's anything I can do, please let me know!" But nearly everyone will be frustrated, because there is really nothing

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-36891215482129038212010-01-01T08:31:00.012-07:002010-03-04T15:55:02.404-07:00

First off I want to wish all of you (mostly anonymous) readers an optimistic and joyous new year for 2010. Whether you have cancer or you are supporting someone who does, your own positive attitude is a key element under your control that will help everything else work better and pave the way for staying ahead of bladder cancer, or any cancer. Do not accept that cancer is a death sentence, a

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-49604966341929239192009-12-03T07:48:00.006-07:002010-03-04T15:55:29.649-07:00

It was a cold, clear beginning to Judgment Day 5 with 9F (-13C) reading on the outside thermometers this morning. As usual I had mostly cleared my schedule for the day before, and had a quiet evening at home. Also usual is the battle with trepidation, all confidences in God and my own treatment regimens aside. As David F. pointed out in his blog post here, the brain is supposed to be your

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-7785608521100659342009-10-31T11:28:00.020-06:002009-10-31T17:32:56.665-06:00

It's been almost three weeks since my last post, and nobody is complaining too much. And there are a few out there that like to read this blog, so I shall continue for your benefit. Blog stats indicate that about 30 folks hit this blog each day on average, and about a quarter of them stay for more than a few seconds. Some are harvesting the images, and a significant number stick around and

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-65744538343818972042009-10-11T12:57:00.016-06:002010-05-15T08:35:53.304-06:00

I will begin with the answer to the question implicit in the title. How should someone, or ANYONE, deal with a cancer diagnosis? All the answers start in one place. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE NOT TO DIE FROM CANCER. That is the front line defense and the bottom line of any treatment regimen. If you accept that your cancer is a death sentence, then ultimately it will be.Don't get me wrong - I am not going

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-28376896578713121002009-10-04T13:15:00.006-06:002009-10-08T07:50:30.692-06:00

One thing new to report from my last round of BCG is the emergence of the "flu-like" symptoms that have been described by so many as a side effect. My past BCGs have pretty much been a day of misery and urinary fire, then being a bit fuzzy or tired until the afternoon of the day following. With the reduction to 1/3 dose several months ago, the misery of the day has been dramatically reduced.

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-44327465280669976802009-09-25T07:31:00.006-06:002009-09-25T08:19:41.161-06:00

I was a little surprised when the doc's office called Wednesday to confirm my BCG appointment at 9AM instead of 9:15, but a quick check of the notes proved that they were correct. I had high hopes that this one would be both easy and over quickly. I was processed in with urine tested by 9:05 and the BCG dose was diluted and ready by 9:10. The doc had not arrived in the office yet, but we were

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-83581334252179574582009-09-18T08:18:00.004-06:002009-09-18T08:47:34.885-06:00

The trip to the doctor's office was quick due to one of the construction zones now being half cleared, and we were prepared with a detour around new construction. The instillation details were much faster and better than average, with both the doctor and me relaxed. Was done with the BCG and hobbling to the car by 9:29 AM. Hit the hydration immediately and symptoms appeared right on time 3

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-48481421349294995882009-09-11T08:33:00.005-06:002009-09-11T09:46:52.168-06:00

First off, compared to things that happened on September 11, 2001, today and yesterday are nothing. But we go to our fates with BCG voluntarily, and it is certainly true to say that Bladder Cancer is not for wimps!The trip to the doctor's office and the instillation details were uneventful, getting the BCG at 10:00 despite a 9:15 appointment. Did the usual sipping and flipping in the back of

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-54262038239490088012009-09-09T19:16:00.003-06:002009-09-09T19:35:30.814-06:00

Tomorrow is BCG day. Oh Joy - NOT!!! But really this is the best outcome with bladder cancer. No recurrence (so far) and continued treatments. As David F. in England always says, BCG may be awful, but not nearly so awful as chemo, radiation, or radical surgery. So no cause for whining here. I did have to get mentally prepared. Since it's been six months, I had to refresh myself as to the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-49159260854722321832009-09-03T12:03:00.007-06:002009-09-03T21:24:13.861-06:00

ALL CLEAR - two little words. So brief, so insignificant, and yet so meaningful. Trust me - I shall never tire of hearing that short phrase. This day now marks 15 months of being free from bladder cancer, and we all hope for many more to come. When I cross over 24 months, which should occur in June of 2010, I can begin using the term "remission." But not before then. It is dangerous to

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-87978537247126685772009-08-09T08:58:00.005-06:002009-08-09T13:43:12.529-06:00

At some point each cancer fighter has to decide what conventional medical treatments to follow, and what, if any, other things to do to help battle the disease and discourage or prevent recurrence. The TURBT and BCG therapies from my doctor have been described in detail, and I have also discussed diet, exercise, vitamins, and supplements in general. When blog readers contact me, they generally

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-32393358301550681392009-07-03T23:33:00.003-06:002009-07-03T23:42:00.124-06:00

Below is reprinted in its entirety a news item on a treatment to consider for those where BCG is not effective, or if the cancer has spread into the lower abdomen and organs. I do not know this man personally, nor have I researched this treatment. But it might be worthwhile to look into if you are in need of more horsepower and wish to avoid cystectomy (which the man below unfortunately went

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-35202236311522655282009-06-20T13:44:00.008-06:002009-06-22T07:32:35.238-06:00

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGEOne aspect the early stages of the bladder cancer treatment regimen is that you live life a few weeks or months at a time for the first two years. Unless your diagnosis is low grade and superficial (mine was high grade and near-invasive T1), you cannot even think about resting easy or using a term like "remission" until after 2 years. And every 3 months after the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-17750753206002032302009-06-10T17:36:00.015-06:002009-06-11T22:38:10.290-06:00

Hi folks. It's been quite a while since my last posting - over 2 weeks! I just wanted to luxuriate in the quite unexpected high from my extended 50th birthday celebration. No longer a milestone to contemplate regret, the time passage is now viewed as a gift. I trust all future ones will be the same. Now back to the subject at hand. A couple of weeks ago I got a contact email via Wellsphere from a

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-53422542664163028852009-05-25T10:53:00.008-06:002009-05-25T13:43:26.768-06:00

The day referred to in the title is yesterday rather than today. Yesterday was my birthday, the big Five-Oh. ---> 50 years. Half a century! Hard to believe - to believe that's it's happened, and to believe that I enjoyed it. It's been a weird year plus a few months to say the least, and a big attitude change for me. In my mind I am still 25, ready to adventure, and spoiling for a fight.

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-7255871082726356662009-05-14T16:19:00.004-06:002009-05-14T16:41:26.214-06:00

Hello and thanks to one and all for reading along, caring, and praying or sending alternative forms of positive energy. Mixed with my complementary therapies, we have a resounding success in the form of an ALL CLEAR today. Only thing to wait for is the lab result from the urine cytology and FISH tests. So today we have the CT scan results showing nothing of concern, a urine exam for bacteria,

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-87624227732055372422009-05-14T07:58:00.003-06:002009-05-14T08:24:49.897-06:00

Judgment Day #3 has arrived, exactly 51 weeks plus one day since the surgery that was verified microscopically to have begun my cancer-free state. With bladder cancer, such a state must always be viewed as temporary - and very much so in the first year. The doctor will have the radiologist's report from the CT scan last Friday, and I will bring him the physical films - should he wish to see

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-34068161373121351982009-05-10T15:07:00.012-06:002009-05-10T16:40:33.439-06:00

My doctor's office did call on Thursday to demand that I get a new CT scan ASAP. We scheduled it for Friday afternoon, and it went without drama. Now with only 4 days remaining until Judgment Day #3, I have been pretty sanguine about the whole affair. This is much different from last time, and I am not sure why - confidence or overconfidence? I think I am more secure in the outcome, whether

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-91167969724492573682009-05-04T15:39:00.010-06:002009-05-05T18:57:22.975-06:00

Last week I did something I have not done since this whole cancer affair started. Twice. What was this earthshaking event? Brace yourselves: I made plans. For dinner. AFTER Judgment Day #3. And both will be paid in advance! What's the big deal, you might ask yourself. It's really quite simple.If the doctor sees anything suspicious in his cystoscope on May 14, he will schedule me for surgery, most

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-71471213716683502022009-04-18T10:26:00.011-06:002009-04-23T07:35:51.932-06:00

One of my favorite food items in the world is bacon. And I haven't had any (except the fake kind made from turkey) for 10 months. According to this research, I should never have it again. A 2006 article from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition informs us that:"Men and women with a high intake of bacon (≥5 servings/wk) had an elevated risk of bladder cancer compared with those who never

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-60049520876773810042009-04-17T16:05:00.016-06:002010-08-11T18:42:12.561-06:00

Today (and lately) I feel about as near to normal as I can remember. Keep in mind that I define normal as how I felt just over a year ago before all this cancer business (or, more accurately, my awareness of it) started. Truth be told, I feel better than my old definition of normal in most respects. I have lost over 30 pounds since then, my allergy symptoms have diminished, my complexion has

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-9127485594267048212009-04-02T21:38:00.011-06:002010-08-11T18:43:23.377-06:00

Last December I got a comment from someone recommending the Budwig Protocol. I dismissed it at the time, having researched it briefly some time ago. Lately I've been reading a book recommended by Ed B. in Washington State. The author also speaks highly of the Budwig Protcol's central recommendation - a combination of Flaxseed Oil with Cottage Cheese that's supposed to give the body a super zap

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-45438480107547606782009-03-25T19:16:00.007-06:002009-03-25T19:49:57.552-06:00

My health, stamina, and well-being have improved slowly over the past three weeks. I am not getting tired in mid-afternoon early in the week, and the effect is decreased even later in the week. The 5 days in California were awesome - weather, food, wine, everything. We even got a cool rental car - a Saturn Sky, pictured here (click to enlarge). It's a real eye-catcher in red, which is my

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-8801593694035413272009-03-17T17:59:00.007-06:002009-03-17T20:56:37.846-06:00

Two weeks from today I will "celebrate" the one-year anniversary of my bladder cancer diagnosis. Despite the feeling that it's only been a few weeks since then, nearly EVERYTHING has changed about me and my life in the last 50 weeks. There was the initial shock, two quick surgeries, the stress of awaiting lab results, BCG series, and judgment days. There was a re-ordering of priorities,

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-49126896730474515192009-02-28T11:09:00.009-07:002009-02-28T17:12:39.056-07:00

If you have read any of my stuff, you are well aware that I am on record as an exercise hater. We must acknowledge that it's one of the four foundations for beating cancer, which are:1) Good attitude and spiritual health2) Diet that stops supporting cancer growth and starts fighting it actively3) Conventional and alternative medical care (includes vitamins, supplements, etc.)4) Regular

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-87343960696921744782009-02-21T08:24:00.009-07:002009-02-25T19:06:30.264-07:00

I try to watch pretty closely what people are searching for when they hit this blog. In the past few weeks the sources have been pretty evenly split between Google, Wellsphere, and BlogCatalog, with a few thrown in from CancerCompass. One thing that most have in common is that you are searching for information on BCG symptoms, side-effects, and dosages. While I am done with BCG until September

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-59996879574703415362009-02-13T05:54:00.008-07:002009-02-13T08:39:15.153-07:00

The trip to the doctor went smoothly. As has become usual, we saw Dr. Hopkins about 25 minutes after our appointment's scheduled time. Some of this delay is normal - you have to give a urine sample which they quickly test on-site, and my reduced dosage also takes extra time. The procedure to make it has caused some general consternation amongst the staff. All are freaked out by Dr. Lamm's

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-3801227667892974452009-02-07T07:37:00.025-07:002009-02-09T21:52:57.666-07:00

While writing this blog has been both cathartic and helpful for me, it's a lot of work. I try to update at least once per week, and I have been doing so for ten months so far. It helps me to organize my thoughts and research, and it gives me a place to vent. Since I am an organization lover, even my rants can be orderly here - after a fashion. I also try to make it helpful for you people.

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-38128290215453823462009-02-06T06:39:00.010-07:002009-02-08T22:27:04.196-07:00

After having a pretty easy time three months ago with a 1/3 dose of BCG, I was expecting to have the same last week. While it wasn't awful, it was not as easy as hoped. This week I expected it to be a little bit worse, and I'm pleased to say I was wrong again. It was much easier to handle and I got through it all without incident. Travel to/from the urology clinic and instillation were

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-72329599111463791482009-02-03T07:53:00.024-07:002010-08-11T18:46:33.969-06:00

Many of you have left comments or sent private emails regarding the diet that we have undertaken. I have provided very few details in response. The main reason is that I wanted to gather some evidence of its effect before making any declarations about its efficacy. Which is a mouthful of words to say, "Why recommend or describe something, when I don't know if it's doing any good?" So here's the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-35587649852400237392009-01-29T21:34:00.009-07:002009-01-30T07:49:00.364-07:00

The Biohazard Man is back, and feeling kind of... OK. Based on my experience last time with 1/3 BCG dose, I was expecting this one to be a cake walk. It was not, but it was MUCH easier than the full or half doses before. I wonder if I really got the right dosage last time. No matter. A few things were different (and more disgusting) this time, so to protect our more sensitive readers the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-28802396881523810782009-01-28T08:04:00.007-07:002009-01-28T08:30:09.060-07:00

As if male bladder cancer patients did not have enough things to worry about, here's an interesting post that suggests that our behavior during our 20s may have some influence on prostate cancer, too! While this is far from hard science, the entertainment value is priceless. Click below for details. (For the serious minded readers, this is pretty much a joke, so relax!)EVERYBODY PANIC!!!(PG-13

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-71238822075309555132009-01-22T14:00:00.008-07:002009-01-25T22:27:43.849-07:00

What does one do on Judgment Day? Today I woke up at 5AM and lay in bed a while. I prayed long and hard - being scared helps one do that better. As it used to be said, there are no atheists in the battle trenches, and I would add there are precious few (if any) in the cancer trenches. I got out of bed early and busied myself with routine things. Did a short devotional for the day from

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-66096596326818336722009-01-18T16:46:00.005-07:002009-01-19T08:51:33.893-07:00

Last week was busy and stressful, and consequently the time passed quickly. Stress is building up from the countdown to the next cystoscopy, now less than 4 days away. On top of that my employer for the past 16 years, a Very Large American Aerospace Corporation (VLAAC) did a major restructure of our little piece last year. The plan was for my Utah group to be combined with two other groups in

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-21146928900938962552009-01-14T22:10:00.003-07:002009-01-15T08:11:12.179-07:00

A co-worker who has no idea that I'm battling cancer sent me a link with the following note: "This video may change how you think about your day and maybe even your life." I have only one week now until Judgment Day #2. Will the cancer be back or will it not? While I have done most everything I can think of - BCG, diet, exercise, vitamins, positive attitude, and magic powder from the internet

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-19187759271373969022009-01-07T22:02:00.010-07:002009-01-18T16:54:37.618-07:00

I got a contact via Wellsphere with some concerned questions. Susan P. from New York was not happy with the discomfort her husband was experiencing after a TURBT and some rounds of BCG therapy. She wrote, "My husband (age 59) was diagnosed April 2008 with Grade 3, T1 flat cell with CIS. He finished his last BCG November, 2008, but since April has never really felt better after BCG treatments. He

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-60500788004151187042009-01-03T14:02:00.005-07:002009-01-03T15:28:09.208-07:00

It feels a bit odd typing in 2009 for the date. Last year went by quickly. Busy with work and work related travel through March, surgery in April and again in May, BCG in July/Aug and Oct/Nov. Only a few moments to work, play, and breathe in between! Now what's in store for this year and beyond? As most of you know, I have been cancer-free since May 22, 2008 - two days before my 49th

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-9909645786666668732008-12-24T11:58:00.008-07:002008-12-27T08:21:49.721-07:00

Hello and Merry Christmas to all. The inspiration (and much of the content) of today's post is brought to you courtesy of David F. in Kent (near London). He has managed to describe the UK bladder biopsy process, atmosphere, and capture the essence of the event with good humor, considering the circumstances. One major difference between US and UK medical care, besides how its funded, is the fact

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-58448005940125147052008-12-21T14:45:00.007-07:002008-12-22T04:19:25.842-07:00

I have a reasonable amount of traffic on this blog, about 20 people per day. The blog shows up on the first page of results, often near the top, on most Google searches. I get a few nibbles from Wellsphere as well. How can I tell? Check out the links near the bottom of the left column on the blog. There's one called Sitemeter. Anyone that would like to can click on that link and then select

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-43895965020845363382008-12-14T15:10:00.009-07:002008-12-19T14:25:29.619-07:00

Since the bladder cancer was diagnosed 8.5 months ago, I have been able to communicate via this blog and email with only a handful of other bladder cancer patients. The one that's farthest along is David F. in Kent, England (near London), who has passed two years with all clear, and has one final procedure before he is finished, hopefully forever. HK in Toronto, Canada is a few months behind me

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-35023542620396810542008-12-06T08:18:00.008-07:002008-12-06T11:11:05.094-07:00

I see that I have not posted an update for two weeks. What I have been doing instead is updating the Current Status section to the left. For those of you that only check updated postings, I should probably summarize the last two weeks of mini updates here in a post. As you recall, I committed to start exercising, and I expected not to enjoy it very much, despite all the assurances of all you

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-91083547520247010152008-11-22T10:15:00.009-07:002008-11-22T16:33:08.520-07:00

It's a simple fact. I absolutely loathe and despise exercise. Mind you, I don't object to DOING something that may involve exercise. In school I was an avid player of both basketball and soccer (football in the UK), and I had few issues aside from asthmatic shortness of breath in performing adequately. In my mid 20s I decided that it was damaging my knees to continue in these sports, so I

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-62984207694244980092008-11-14T09:15:00.005-07:002008-11-14T09:58:10.585-07:00

I'm pleased to report that BCG treatment #3 of 3 for my first maintenance series went much better than expected. Symptoms started later, were MUCH milder, and peaked sooner than the first two in the series. Since my symptoms from #2 (with a 50% BCG dose) were stronger than #1 (at full dose), Dr. Hopkins said we would drop to a 30% dose. He indicated he was reluctant to go any lower than that,

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-22505190794173703152008-11-13T08:32:00.006-07:002008-11-13T08:55:24.418-07:00

Today is the last of the BCG treatments for this round, then 12 weeks off. Last week's side effects were every bit as strong as BCG #6 of my initial round. I have only heuristic evidence to support my conjecture that my full dose two weeks ago got the bladder up and running, so the half dose last week had no reduced effect. And I suspect that even if we drop to 1/3 dose, which is the minimum

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-19670730758533548562008-11-06T15:48:00.010-07:002008-11-07T09:46:08.813-07:00

In my last update I pointed out how it seemed Dr. Hopkins had missed the thrust of Dr. Lamm's response to his email. Differences boiled down to "AS TOLERATED" versus "UNTIL SIDE EFFECTS OCCUR." I also promised to email Dr. Lamm myself, and I expected him to reiterate his earlier guidance. I believe the email exchange and what transpired next may be of interest to most of you.Please be advised

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-35152268840771596622008-10-30T13:31:00.014-06:002008-11-07T11:15:02.813-07:00

I was a little surprised to catch a head/chest cold last week after my "all clear" report - for two reasons. First, my immune system is still ramped up pretty high from the previous BCG sessions. And second, the new diet also promotes health, well-being, and disease resistance. Sure, I was a bit run down from prepping for the unfair audit at work, but I had far less stress about it than many

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-83698322395961590802008-10-30T07:54:00.004-06:002008-10-30T08:16:41.973-06:00

In a couple of hours I will have my first of three weekly BCG treatments for my first maintenance therapy. This was the outcome I was hoping and praying for. While it will not be a lot of fun, it's far preferable to another surgery, and certainly better than radical surgery. I will put details on the blog later.A fellow in Toronto, HK, contacted me a couple of months ago with questions about

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-59467330081024889542008-10-24T13:07:00.015-06:002008-10-25T12:52:12.033-06:00

The events that transpired and the emotional, intellectual, and willpower swings on this day defy my ability to describe them. I will start with a factual description of events, and we'll see what comes through. First off, the week leading up to this day has been a whirlwind of busy-ness. Your US government decided to perform a surprise audit of my company against a standard that was not

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-33701710600386150282008-10-21T18:42:00.004-06:002008-10-23T08:13:49.696-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted a blog entry. I owe you all two or three book reviews, and maybe some other clever and entertaining reading and pictures. For the next few days it will have to wait. I sent out an email message this evening to family and friends. Many of them don't read the blog (though some check it multiple times daily!), and I do an occasional email to keep them in the

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-49437134771765670102008-10-11T10:13:00.003-06:002008-10-16T21:02:02.445-06:00

Hello all. It's been a week of anniversaries. Still in a mellow frame of mind from vacation travel, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on Wednesday and I was honored by my employer for my 15th anniversary with them on Friday. Through it all we stayed on the new diet with a couple of minor exceptions. We did have one small dessert in Portland, again on Wednesday, and a chocolate on

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-63259564372695444742008-10-06T10:51:00.007-06:002008-10-06T21:03:03.086-06:00

Had a great 4 day weekend in Portland, Oregon and surrounding areas. This area is a mecca for organic food, outstanding Pinot Noir (known as Burgundy in France), and creative gourmet chocolate. We indulged in all three, in moderation, with our good friends Darrell and Makenzie from Seattle. I was also able to track down a friend who has morphed from Manhattan finance maven to boutique winemaker.

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-67298189068613131212008-09-25T09:13:00.011-06:002008-09-26T11:27:38.904-06:00

No medical news unless you count having a great time in Acapulco, Guerrereo, Mexico this week. We took a private tour yesterday and saw spectacular city views, had a great lunch, and even saw the famous cliff divers. As dated and touristy as it was, these guys were still impressive to even the most jaded viewer. Prices for most things are low and all the locals are very friendly and glad to see

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-66728458437478595872008-09-19T08:56:00.023-06:002009-10-11T15:26:51.523-06:00

My friend Kathie wrote a comment on the Dr. Lamm post and referred to a book by another doctor (David Servan-Schreiber) that supports the diet/exercise regimen for battling cancer. Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life describes some lifestyle changes that can be effective in keeping cancer in remission. I looked at the link and read some previews from the book both there and on Amazon. After only a few

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-60355618311452948312008-09-13T09:34:00.017-06:002008-09-19T08:12:46.017-06:00

Why do I write this blog about bladder cancer? Besides the fact that it helps me to organize my thoughts and data, provides an avenue for catharsis, and feeds my questionable need to be the center of attention, it also fills an information gap. If you read much about bladder cancer on the internet, you find frequently that it is the 4th most common cancer among men. So you would think that there

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-89109616505413825972008-09-03T18:32:00.013-06:002008-11-25T13:02:57.506-07:00

I was quite surprised to get a call from Dr. Donald L. Lamm in the early afternoon on Labor Day, Monday, September 1. He told me that he was using the day to catch up on things, and he apologized for taking so long to get back to me. I asked him if he had read all the information I had sent to him, and he surprised me a little by responding in the affirmative. I had downgraded my expectations

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-71119446171414983702008-09-01T11:05:00.023-06:002008-09-03T18:32:15.385-06:00

I traveled from Utah to Indianapolis last Thursday-Sunday, and I stayed with Lee, a good friend from college (like Dr. Chuck). We saw the original cast of Beatlemania in their Magical Mystery Tour concert, we did some hiking in the woods, and we managed to take in a AAA ball game where the Indianapolis Indians spanked the Louisville Bats handily. I also had an appointment with a urological

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-73708327446666097762008-08-30T17:30:00.007-06:002008-09-01T11:04:55.279-06:00

Hi folks, I'm having a great time in Indianapolis visiting some friends from college. Lots of fun activities with pictures to upload. My second opinion appointment went as well as could be expected. Not much new news, not much good news, not much bad news. He confirmed many things I suspected. He does have a very different viewpoint and approach from Dr. Hopkins. So I have a lot of information

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-37864592748204240852008-08-20T22:45:00.011-06:002011-11-05T11:05:53.681-06:00

A fellow from Canada sent me a private email and told he he was going to start BCG on August 26, next Tuesday. He asked me what to expect, how the procedure was done, and if it would hurt. It occurred to me that all of these things are addressed on the blog in a few places. I saw from Sitemeter that he had spent quite a bit of time on the blog and had looked at many pages. I wondered why he could

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-25290368707271147562008-08-15T14:51:00.005-06:002008-09-15T16:04:30.020-06:00

Running a blog and spilling my guts out on the internet has been a great venting tool for me. Besides catharsis, it's also become an easy way to keep family, friends, and colleagues up to date on the situation - though there are still many who don't or won't read the blog. In fact only about 30% of the people on my list of folks to keep updated read this blog on a regular basis. Not complaining

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-27490353045236008982008-08-14T19:12:00.016-06:002008-08-16T09:12:09.156-06:00

Hello all. It's really good to be back in the swing of things. Mentally I feel absolutely great. Workwise it's been a pretty busy week. Physically I'm up to nearly "normal" feeling. One problem is that I have been pretty much a part time employee of late, with all the medical stuff and recovery. Did a lot of working from home, too. You can see from my keyboard at right that the office needed

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-52356050159541451812008-08-08T09:58:00.016-06:002008-10-29T07:06:34.032-06:00

Happy Crazy 8's Day! (8/8/08) I feel much better than yesterday by contrast, though pretty tired and sore in the bladder region. Side effects have cleared up, so once the soreness improves I should be on track to "normal" again. Instillation was a piece of (sugar-free) cake. Dr. Hopkins looked at the log of the first five treatments and said it was consistent with his expectations - increasing

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-45500961564078533932008-08-07T20:26:00.002-06:002008-08-07T20:36:31.740-06:00

Hi folks! Today was a pretty rough day - the worst so far. BCG was not started until 11:15, traffic jam coming home, symptoms started earlier, were more dramatic, and ran longer - still going now at 8:30 PM (pun intended). I had to increase hydration level at 40-60 ounces per hour during the bulk of the afternoon, and I am now good and truly exhausted. Upset stomach, sore abdomen, and foul

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-81866379999982431492008-08-06T21:55:00.016-06:002008-08-12T18:40:55.356-06:00

My BCG experience has so far been pretty mild. Certainly not on the level of ADR in England. And now he's sunning himself on a beach in the Azores today without a care in the world. So life does go on. What to expect for the last one? A quick instillation from Dr. Hopkins, followed by a pretty rough day of hydration and voiding. It's not so much the physical pain or burning, but it's rough

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-69611648781032009932008-07-31T17:37:00.008-06:002008-08-01T11:03:00.679-06:00

The nurse was new to us and ready to roll right away. She informed me that last week's sample was clear of active infection, which is good news. The Doc was in a cheerful mood after his vacation. He had taken the family white water rafting down the Grand Canyon - a full camping/rafting experience. He recommended it highly - if you can handle the camping. He said he kept his promise and didn't

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-49832638107729258192008-07-30T18:54:00.004-06:002008-07-31T22:04:26.900-06:00

Tomorrow is BCG #5 of six. I hope last week's results established a trend - that side effects will diminish. I have felt absolutely great since last Thursday, much better than past 3 weeks. So I have much less trepidation about tomorrow. I am back with Dr. Hopkins, though PA Liz did a commendable job. The appointment is at 10 AM, the earliest yet, so maybe I can be finished with biohazard

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-79312498566771160872008-07-24T13:41:00.021-06:002008-08-10T04:33:10.157-06:00

Most of you tuned in here to see if my side effects got worse today from BCG Treatment #4. I'm pleased to report that they did not. The super-hydration yesterday did the trick. My bladder felt last night as if it had run a marathon, and I suppose it actually had. A bit tender at bedtime, rising hourly to urinate (totally clear), and I was exhausted this morning. I mostly slept until noon,

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-62967130929656884662008-07-23T13:22:00.007-06:002008-07-29T18:01:29.502-06:00

The instillation process (described on the Instillation Page - 2/10 on the gross-out scale) was the easiest to date. Substituting for Dr. Hopkins was P.A. Liz who did a commendable job with a minimum of awkwardness or discomfort for both of us. I talked to her a bit and was quickly able to establish that she was more careful and knowledgeable than the evil Regan. She had even read my chart in

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313536940893763171.post-17255293980811030872008-07-21T12:38:00.004-06:002008-07-22T13:08:39.113-06:00

Treatment #3 progressed from "no big deal" to "some kind of deal" this week. All day Friday there was no comfortable position - sitting, lying, standing, walking, hunched over - all equally uncomfortable. Not pain, but burning in the bladder and major discomfort. No way even to take a nap. Reading, watching TV, or doing internet/work stuff was limited to 10 minute intervals - not at all efficient

Steve Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06041213821291872054noreply@blogger.com2